Improvement in corn-cutters



1. W. PARKER.

Corn-Gutters.

v Patented Dec. 1,1874.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES WILDEB PARKER, OF PALMYRA, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR OF TWO- THIRDS HIS RIGHT TO ADONIRAM J. HOLMES AND ALFRED K. WELLS,

OF BOONE, IOWA.

IMPROVEMENT IN CORN-CUTTERS- Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 157,292, dated December 1, 1874; application filed September 16, 1874.

To all whom it mag concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES W. PARKER, of Palmyra, Jefferson county, Wisconsin, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Corn-Gutters, of which the following is a full description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 is a side elevation, Fig.2 a rear view, Fig. 3 a bottom view, of the heel-plate; Fig. 4, a detail showing the standard in the proper position to be inserted in the eye or socket in the heel-plate; Fig. 5, a side view of the heel-plate; Fig. 6, an enlarged detail; Fig. 7, a section at a: of Fig. 1; Fig. 8, a de tail. Figs. 3 to 8 are all enlarged.

My invention consists in so forming and connecting the standard with the heel-plate that the standard and knife can be removed without removing the heel-plate, in making the knife adjustable upon the standard, and in the combinations claimed.

This corn-cutter is designed to be strapped to the foot and leg of the operator, and is an improvement upon one for which I have obtained Letters Patent of the United States dated September 8, 1874, No. 154,765.

In the drawings, A represents the standard, which carries the knife B. It is bent at the lower end so as to pass under the foot. This lower end a is made round, and at the extreme end is turned up a little, or provided with a projection or lift, b. (J is the foot-piece or heel-plate. It can be fastened to the heel of a boot or shoe by means of screws passing through the part c, and a strap is secured to or passes through an eye or loop on the other end, (I, which strap is to be fastened, when in use, over the instep, to aid in holding the device in place. The central portion of this heel-plate is provided with an eye or socket, 8, formed as shown in Figs. 3 and 5, and being broad or having two parts, 8 6, upon one side, and narrow on the other side, as shown at f. The socket is to receive the lower end a of the standard which can only be inserted in one Way, which is by placing these parts in the position shown in Figs. 3 and 4, when a can be inserted under f, and passed into its place in the eye 5 then the standard is to be turned around until the parts are in the proper position for use, as shown in Fig. 1. In this position the projection 1) comes in contact with the outer edge of 0, and the standard cannot then slip from, or be removed from, the eye or socket, except by turning it back to the position shown in Fig. 4. This construction enables the operator to secure the foot-plate O firmly to the heel, and to remove and replace the standard and knife at pleasure without removing the heel-plate. At the same time the end of the standard is free to move in its eye or socket sufficiently for practical purposes, but cannot escape therefrom while in use. The shoulder i, with the projection b, prevents any undue lateral movement of a in the socket s.

I provide for adjusting the knife upon the the standard, as it may be necessary to cut corn at different heights from the ground. Upon the outer edge of the standard I place a flange, shaped as shown in Figs. 2 and 7, at g, forming on each side a series of angular projections and indentations, n o. In the heel of the knife 1 cut a square notch, m, leaving the projections p r. The knife is then secured to the standard by means of screws or bolts and nuts, the projection 19 being in one of the recesses o, and resting against one of the, angular projections it upon one side of the standard, and the other projection 1" being in a recess and against an angular projection on the other side of the standard. The upper end of the standard is, in use, secured to the leg by means of one or more straps. D is secured to the standard, fits the leg, and aids in keeping the device in place.

Devices analogous to those described may be used for the purpose of making the knife adjustable. For example, instead of providing the standard with the projections, it may be straight upon each side, and have holes or slots to receive bolts; then by the use of wedge-shaped washers, one under each of the projections 19 r on the end of the knife, and on opposite sides of the standards, and suitable bolts and nuts, the knife can be placed upon the standard at the proper angle, and be adjusted to suit the operator.

Or the knife reach nearly to the knee.

What I claim as new is as follows:

1. The standard A, curved at the lower end or bent, in combination with the heel-plate 0 having an eye or socket, s, to receive the end of the standard, substantially as specified.

2. The standard A, in combination with the heel plate 0 and knife B, adjust-ably connected with the standard, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

3. The standard A, having angular projections and indentations n v, in combination with the knife B, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

JAMES VVILDER PARKER.

Witnesses:

JAMES W. COOK, WM. S. SHAW. 

